A half-hour from the Strip, the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa is a haven for vacationers and business travelers who prefer the beauty of Lake Las Vegas and the Nevada desert to the glitz of Vegas. With luxurious, understated rooms, an elegant Tuscany-inspired setting, an award-winning spa, and impeccable service, the hotel serves as a relaxing retreat.

A hipper, quieter sister to the attached Mandalay Bay, THEhotel attracts a younger crowd that prefers urban chic to ornate luxury. Huge suites, solid service, and fine art on the walls make it a sophisticated haven from the Vegas circus; but access to Mandalay's amenities -- including itspools -- means you can have a foot in each world. But expect changes in 2013 when the hotel converts into a Delano similar to its sister South Beach Delano property.

Like the Paris and New York-New York hotels, the 5,030-room Venetian is an enormous and extravagant tribute to a place far from the desert, complete with gondola rides and a replica of Saint Mark's Square. Compared to the other theme-driven Vegas properties, the Venetian distinguishes itself with enormous guest rooms, a world-class spa, and heaps of premier restaurants.

Big, elaborate, and packed with the kind of luxuries you see at the Bellagio and the Wynn, the Palazzo has some of the best and biggest standard rooms on The Strip. Its world-class spa, seven pools, busy casino, and name-brand fine dining all connect to its sister property, the Venetian, via an haute couture mall. Less theme-y than many Vegas hotels, but right at the top of the list in terms of glitz and extravagance.

This 3,933-room Italian "villa" is the embodiment of Vegas luxury. The elaborate Italian-themed courtyard is one of many highlights, with five swimming pools, elaborate sculptures, and fountains. Rooms are sophisticated and contemporary, and all have marble bathrooms with separate glass showers and soaking tubs. Guests (mostly couples, and a healthy dose of families and business travelers) will find formal room service, a superb fitness center and spa, and the best buffet on the Strip; attractions such as the indoor botanical gardens and the dancing fountains are world-famous. Cirque du Soleil performs here, and the massive gaming floor is one of the best in Vegas. The Bellagio has prices to match its five-pearl service; in terms of competition, only the Encore and the Cosmopolitan can compare.

The Cosmopolitan has quickly established itself as one of the trendiest spots on the Strip. The typical Vegas kitsch has been swapped out for aggressively modern design and futuristic touches (guests sign in on an iPad). Fanfare aside, rooms are large and feature comfortable, designer furnishings and modern, open bathrooms. All types of travelers seem to come here, from frat boys to gambling grandmothers, but the nights decidedly belong to the younger crowd at BOND and Marquee -- as do the days, during Marquee's seasonal "dayclub" party poolside. It's certainly not the most family-friendly option, but couples looking for a phenomenal spa and nearby action won't be disappointed.

Opened in December 2008, the 2,034-room Encore is about pure opulence; not surreal, family-friendly showmanship. Its giant rooms one-up even the Wynn's (Encore's sister next door) and include such snazzy features as bedside curtain control, beautiful design, and an enormous bathroom. The rooms stand toe-to-toe with the Palazzo's and The Delano as the best in Vegas.

A new breed of Las Vegas luxury, with 392 elegant rooms and some of Vegas' best service, the Mandarin Oriental is a quiet haven on the glitzy Strip. The hotel lacks the characteristic excess that many people come to Vegas for (including a casino), opting instead for a more restrained approach: a beautiful spa, two fine dining restaurants, a peaceful pool, meeting space, and the rarest of Las Vegas features -- serenity. But the convenient City Center location means easy access to all the excess you want.

Remote-controlled drapes in the giant rooms, eight premier restaurants, an 18-hole golf course -- the 2,716-room Wynn is one of the Strip's most extravagant luxury hotels. But service is a bit impersonal, and there's a hefty fee to use the fitness center.

The Las Vegas outpost of this venerable luxury chain is a rare quiet refuge from the casino cacophony. Count on excellent service, stylish rooms, a serene pool, and two good restaurants. Head to the adjoining Mandalay Bay Hotel for gambling, partying, a vast pool complex, and a shark-filled aquarium.